While most people who learn guitar start out with an acoustic instrument and later graduate to an electric version, many do the opposite. They get their hands on a cheap electric guitar and use that to learn chords, melodies, and so on. This is fine, and in fact, it's better for people with small hands; electric guitars usually have smaller, narrower necks that make it easier for those with small hands to grip the guitar properly. But there comes a time when the electric-only player tries to switch to acoustic with varying success. The idea of taking lessons specifically to learn how to play an acoustic guitar may sound strange, but they could be very beneficial for some.

Experts and Intermediates

Expert guitar players who, for whatever reason, have never picked up an acoustic guitar will likely not need lessons. Adjusting to the wider neck can be awkward, but it shouldn't be long before an expert player gets used to it. Intermediate and beginner-advanced students, though, might want a few lessons because the wider neck can throw off their not-yet-cemented muscle-memory of where each note is on each fret and string. Some guided instruction could be helpful in this regard.

New Styles

Where lessons really come in handy is if the electric guitar player is trying to switch to a style like classical. Because the acoustic guitars used in styles like these can vary in shape, with more of an hourglass shape for classical guitars versus the workhorse dreadnaught acoustic guitar you see in general, and because they have a different way of being held and played (the classical guitar rests in a different part of the lap, and players often have a footstool as well), lessons in both the style and in how to hold the guitar are advisable.

Adjustment Periods

There's nothing wrong with trying to take up acoustic guitar lessons yourself after years of playing electric; many people adjust easily, and others need a little work before they get used to the differences between the two types of guitars. If you seem to have a lot of trouble adjusting, a few lessons will help because the teacher can watch you play and correct any mistakes that might be holding back your adjustment to the new shape of the guitar.

You don't have to take lessons to learn how to switch from electric to acoustic if you've never picked up an acoustic before. But doing so could speed up your journey into the acoustic world and let you concentrate on playing, rather than on the technical side of figuring out how to handle a thicker guitar neck. For more information, contact a company like Guitar  Works Ltd.